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How to use Planer Boards


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I've been avoiding buying two boards because I'm not sure exactly how to use them. I want to make sure I rig them right, what test to yes, all the basics to using them. If possible pictures would be great. Going with wall eye church boards. Heard lots good things.

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get the off shores....much better board

run the lure back 100' or so.....clip the board on....let it out another 100' or so and wait for it to drop back..

may want to consider changing the rear release to a swivel to keep from chasing the board after catching the fish

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yes depending on the depth you are looking for

lead core 5 feet down per color

drop weights 5 feet per ounce

copper 22 feet per 100 ft

big jon mini discs 20ft or 30 ft depending on size

jet divers various sizes

torpedo weights various sizes

and many more variations of ways to get down

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Bigger diver like #1 Dipsey be alright or will that be to heavy? Think I'll go with lead core tho. Seems more practical. My goal is to get the diver out of the presentation. I'm hoping this will turn more fish on or increase my chance at bigger fish.

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K. That's what I was going to ask. Any suggestions for what test to use braided? Charts were based on mono, is braided line much different in depth changes. Thinner diameter run deeper? I don't want to be running in to bottom and losing my setup. I suppose paddles and spin doctors will be fine behind bigger boards?

Edited by FishingTheFL
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Each of these things mentioned has a plus and minus sign attached to it :) . At this time of the season the water fleas  (and especially this year) heavily influence a decision regarding what to run. The fleas rapidly accrue on braided line even 50 lb or more. The types of line that seem to do better with them are 27 lb lead core, copper line, and 30 lb test Bloodrun Sea Flee mono. Some folks swear by 30 lb Big Game mono (and I've used it for years) but with heavy fleas even that gets clogged up. Right now is a real test of anything you put down there in most of these lakes and the only way to deal with most setups is to keep checking and clearing your lines VERY frequently (say at 15 min. intervals). The major problem is when you are reeling in a fish with the fleas on your line (and especially the big highly active ones on Lake O) in that you have to clear the fleas on the way in and they are sometimes like ropes hanging on your line and they take time to clear all the while the fish is fighting and this process also introduces slack in the line allowing the fish to frequently get off.  An additional thing to consider right now is that in the Finger Lakes many of the fish are usually going deep about now so your setups need to be able to reach down to get them so if you aren't using downriggers some type of weighting system may be needed on your lines to get down there. During the early months of the season lead cores, short coppers, braid lines on boards, and even toplines work well when there aren't fleas and when the fish are in shallower regions of the lakes but in late summer you need to get down to them and when you do you will encounter the fleas at varying depths and in varying concentrations throughout the water column so this imposes limitations on what particular setups you use as well. Whether you decide to go with leadcore or braid (or copper) boards or no boards without dipseys you'll have to use some sort of weight system to get there. An exception to this on some of the Fingers for instance is targeting bug feeding rainbows near the surface out in deep water (150 ft plus) and fishing with boards with very small spoons near the surface but again you'll have to clear lines frequently. Mike I'd be glad to meet with you again to go over the boards etc. if you wish just PM me.

Edited by Sk8man
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Thanks Les. I think I got it now. You guys are full of wonderful info. I went from knowing nothing and weeks of catching nothing to having a blast. Fleas in the finger lakes are picking up and water temps are getting higher so I've been using bigger Dipsey trying a Jensen dodgers with a fly. Suttons are still catching large fish... I actually need to go get more... lost my first lure on a fish running. Found a nice spot where big fish seem to hang. Just need to bring one in.

Any other lures that keep up with Sutton's? Can't seem to find anything as good as the 71s. Finger Lakes Tackle site was down last I knew.

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Have a look at the Great Lakes Lures on Facebook....they work great and hold up well.  Also the smaller Revolution spoon for the Finger Lakes.

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Wow that is a shame. The first year I pulled it off two rods because of the stretch but after trying different stuff I went back to it because it still did a better job as far as the fleas and I figured I could live with the stretch problem. This 30 lb stuff no matter what brand still feels like rope to me after fishing for so many years with 10-12 lb :)

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No. The owner Jason is just getting his website together so he is on Facebook right now. I don't do social media so I don't have the exact URL unfortunately.

Edited by Sk8man
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Yes good to have some of different sizes. The 71's are good when fish are feeding on larger sawbellies or smelt (rare now) but sometimes they mainly want smaller spoons especially the silvers. I've had good luck with the  Great Lakes #44's and the #35's especially on the Fingers but they all seem to work well and are well made.

Edited by Sk8man
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